Et cetera
Smash Rookie
Brawl has been out for about 5 years now, and has had an active tournament scene for just as long, so there may not be many new players getting into the scene right now. But, I wanted to write this up to describe my experience at my first regional tournament, KTAR7, and give any tips to those who have yet to join the competitive scene, but would want to. I hope you guys enjoy this read!
First of all, once you find a tournament in your area, plan for it sooner than later. Make sure to arrange a ride or transportation before hand so you make sure you have a way to get there. This might seem pretty obvious, but I only had a few options for a ride to get from Philadelphia to New Jersey, and they all canceled within a few days of the tournament. Luckily, I took a couple of trains and managed to get there through public transportation. So make sure you have that worked out. Also, bring anything you might need throughout the day. Always have your own controller (label your stuff in case you lose it), and even bring a Wii + Brawl with you (or Melee/PM, or anything that you may be competing in. Always be prepared for any tournament). The TO always appreciates extra set-ups, and it might help the day go quicker. Also, bring enough money for all events you want to enter, and some for food for the day. These events can take up to all day and even multiple days at the national level. Be prepared to play a lot of Brawl.
Now, once you get there and are set up, you'll be in a world of strangers. If you can, enter with friends. Not only will that give you company during the time that you're not playing, but it helps you be more comfortable when it's your turn to play. I didn't manage to get anyone I knew to come with me, so I felt a little uncertain in myself. It almost felt like I was in a sea of skilled players, many that I've heard of, and there I was, just trying to stay afloat. If you can't come with someone you know, connect with players that are there. Play as many friendlies as you can before events to 1. Introduce yourself to the other players, and 2. To be more comfortable with the level of play that you'll be facing there. After about 20 min. of arriving at KTAR7, I had already met and found my teammate for the doubles bracket. (shoutouts to SuperMarioMC) Just be friendly and approachable, and make a good impression on the scene.
As far as the matches go, a lot of the first matches in a bracket will be played on a smaller tv set up on the side, where it almost feels like a friendly match. If you're coming from watching streams of earlier tournaments, you may expect your matches to be more hyped up, but that usually doesn't happen at the beginning of brackets. You may be placed against someone you've heard of before right off the bat, which can be intimidating. In my first singles match, I played against Bizkit, and was appropriately destroyed. (shoutouts to Bizkit) Just play the best you know how to, and if you lose, try to remember everything that happened in the match, and what separates tournament-level play with your current level of play. If you win, keep doing what you're doing and go as far as you can.
To sum things up;
1. Make sure you're prepared.
2. Bring friends if you can.
3. Be friendly and get to know the community.
4. Play your best and be confident in your abilities.
5. Use good sportsmanship.
6. If you lose, shake your opponent's hand, and learn what you can from the match.
It was a very interesting experience, and I hope to be able to play more in the future! I hope this read is helpful to anyone who wants to go to tournaments, or is just a fun read for those who already do. If you have any other tips for players, feel free to comment them! Shoutouts to Keitaro for hosting KTAR7, to SuperMarioMC being my teammate in doubles, and to everyone I played against in the brackets!
First of all, once you find a tournament in your area, plan for it sooner than later. Make sure to arrange a ride or transportation before hand so you make sure you have a way to get there. This might seem pretty obvious, but I only had a few options for a ride to get from Philadelphia to New Jersey, and they all canceled within a few days of the tournament. Luckily, I took a couple of trains and managed to get there through public transportation. So make sure you have that worked out. Also, bring anything you might need throughout the day. Always have your own controller (label your stuff in case you lose it), and even bring a Wii + Brawl with you (or Melee/PM, or anything that you may be competing in. Always be prepared for any tournament). The TO always appreciates extra set-ups, and it might help the day go quicker. Also, bring enough money for all events you want to enter, and some for food for the day. These events can take up to all day and even multiple days at the national level. Be prepared to play a lot of Brawl.
Now, once you get there and are set up, you'll be in a world of strangers. If you can, enter with friends. Not only will that give you company during the time that you're not playing, but it helps you be more comfortable when it's your turn to play. I didn't manage to get anyone I knew to come with me, so I felt a little uncertain in myself. It almost felt like I was in a sea of skilled players, many that I've heard of, and there I was, just trying to stay afloat. If you can't come with someone you know, connect with players that are there. Play as many friendlies as you can before events to 1. Introduce yourself to the other players, and 2. To be more comfortable with the level of play that you'll be facing there. After about 20 min. of arriving at KTAR7, I had already met and found my teammate for the doubles bracket. (shoutouts to SuperMarioMC) Just be friendly and approachable, and make a good impression on the scene.
As far as the matches go, a lot of the first matches in a bracket will be played on a smaller tv set up on the side, where it almost feels like a friendly match. If you're coming from watching streams of earlier tournaments, you may expect your matches to be more hyped up, but that usually doesn't happen at the beginning of brackets. You may be placed against someone you've heard of before right off the bat, which can be intimidating. In my first singles match, I played against Bizkit, and was appropriately destroyed. (shoutouts to Bizkit) Just play the best you know how to, and if you lose, try to remember everything that happened in the match, and what separates tournament-level play with your current level of play. If you win, keep doing what you're doing and go as far as you can.
To sum things up;
1. Make sure you're prepared.
2. Bring friends if you can.
3. Be friendly and get to know the community.
4. Play your best and be confident in your abilities.
5. Use good sportsmanship.
6. If you lose, shake your opponent's hand, and learn what you can from the match.
It was a very interesting experience, and I hope to be able to play more in the future! I hope this read is helpful to anyone who wants to go to tournaments, or is just a fun read for those who already do. If you have any other tips for players, feel free to comment them! Shoutouts to Keitaro for hosting KTAR7, to SuperMarioMC being my teammate in doubles, and to everyone I played against in the brackets!
There's actually a tournament happening in my area a couple months from now. I haven't decided whether or not if I want to participate in it yet, but I love to atleast show up there and see how the scenery is there. I've never physically been in a tournament, but I have seen videos and the atmospheres seem pleasing! 
